Metalworking lubricant composition and method for its use

ABSTRACT

A METALWORKING LUBRICANT COMPOSITION PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN DRAWING ALUMINUM TUBING AND THE LIKE AND CONTAINING AS ESSENTIAL CONSTITUENTS SULFUR-FREE DEGRAS, ALUMINUM STERATE, CASTOR OIL WAX AND A CHLOROHYDROCARBON SOLVENT.

United States Patent 3,692,678 Patented Sept. 19, 1972 US. Cl. 252-37 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metalworking lubricant composition particularly adapted for use in drawing aluminum tubing and the like and containing as essential constituents sulfur-free degras, aluminum stearate, castor oil wax and a chlorohydrocarbon solvent.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While the present invention can be used in many types of metalworking operations (e.g., sawing, cutting, threading and the like), it is particularly adapted for use in lubricating aluminum tubing to be drawn on a drawbench. In a drawing operation of this type, a reduced diameter or pointed end of a tube is inserted through a die and engaged by jaws on a draw carriage or dolly. The draw carriage is mounted on tracks which extend parallel to the die axis such that when the carriage is moved away from the die while engaging the pointed end of the tube, it reduces the diameter of the tube while increasing its length. The inside diameter of the tube is maintained by means of a mandrel which is inserted into the tube and lodged within the periphery of the die before the drawing operation begins.

Tubing of this sort must be lubricated before or as it passes through the die since otherwise the aluminum, which is relatively soft, will become marred or scratched. This may be accomplished by dipping a bundle of tubes to be drawn into a lubricant bath or possibly by feeding the lubricant directly to the die and the mandrel as the tube passes through the die. In order to produce a finished product, a tubular form must usually be drawnthrough a number of dies of successively smaller diameter with the tube decreasing in diameter and wall thickness during each draw. Most prior art lubricants used in aluminum drawing operations of this type must be applied during each of the succeeding drawing operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION constituents, sulfur-free degras, aluminum stearate, castor oil wax and a chlorohydrocarbon solvent. The lubricant is applied to the tubes to be drawn by dipping the tubes,

as a bundle, into a bath containing the lubricant. Since the chlorohydrocarbon utilized in the lubricant is highly volatile and toxic, a layer of water, which is lighter than the lubricant, floats on top of the lubricant in the tank into which the tubes are dipped. This prevents the escape of toxic gases from the dip tank and eliminates the necessity for venting hoods and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Broad Preferred range, range, percent by percent by Constituent weight weight Aluminum stearate 1-9 3-5 20-65 50-60 1-6 1. 5-3. 5 Chlorothene N U (trademark) 30-40 32-37 Perfume (1) 1 As required.

One composition of the invention which has been found to be particularly satisfactory comprises 4% aluminum stearate, 58.2% sulfur-free degras, 2.8% castor oil wax, 35% Chlorothene NU (trademark) and sufiicient perfume as required.

Degras, is an animal fat obtained from the skin or wool of sheep. The degras must be absolutely sulfur-free in order to produce the desirable results of the invention and is preferably degras sold under the trade name 25-30 FFA by Malstrom Chemical Corporation of 1501 W. Elizabeth Ave., Linden, NJ. The castor oil wax comprises hydrogenated castor oil which is a solid white wax at room temperature but which melts at higher temperatures. The Chlorothene NU (trademark) is manufactured by Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., and comprises a chlorohydrocarbon solvent consisting essentially of 1-1-1 trichloroethane. However, any other chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent can be used in place of this particular solvent. The Chlorothene NU (trademark) is preferred, however, since it is probably the least toxic of the chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents.

In the manufacture of the lubricant, aluminum stearate, the sulfur-free degras and the castor oil wax are mixed together in a steam kettle at a temperature of about 1l0 F. Thorough mixing of these three constituents is effected in the steam kettle. Thereafter, the mixture, while still warm, is poured into drums. At room temperature, the mixture of aluminum stearate, degras and castor oil wax has the consistency of a No. 1 grease. However, at a temperature of about -112 F., it will liquefy. Accordingly, the material is preferably shipped in drums, then heated in a heated room to E, whereupon the Chlorothene NUI (trademark) is added in the amount required.

The completed lubricant is then poured into a dip tank and covered with water, whereupon bundles of aluminum tubes, for example, are dipped into the tank and submerged beneath the water layer such that they become thoroughly covered with the lubricant. The tubes are then removed from the tank and drawn on a drawbench. As was stated above, tubes lubricated in this manner can be drawn as many as three times without the necessity for subsequent lubricant applications, while at the same time attaining a surface finish much better than that obtained with prior art lubricants.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific embodiments and process steps, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in composition and method steps may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lubricant composition consisting essentially in percent by weight of about 1-9% aluminum ,stearate, about -65% sulfur-free degras, about 15% castor oil wax and about -40% of a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent.

2. The composition of claim 1 consisting essentially in percent by weight of about 3-5 aluminum stearate, -60% sulfur-free degras, 1.5-3.5 castor oil wax and 32-37% of a chlorohydrocarbon consisting essentially of 1-1-1 trichloroethane.

3. The composition of claim 1 consisting essentially in percent by weight of about 4% aluminum stearate, 58.2% sulfur-free degras, 2.8% castor oil wax and 35% of said chlorohydrocarbon.

4. The composition of claim 1 including an effective amount of perfume to give the composition a pleasing odor.

5. The lubricant composition of claim 1 as is produced by mixing aluminum stearate with the sulfur-free degras and castor oil wax at a temperature of about -1 10 F., pouring the mixture as heated into drums and permitting the mixture to cool to room temperature such 4 that it assumes the consistency of about a No. l grease, thereafter heating the mixture within the drums to a temperature of about F., and adding to said mixture said chlorohydrocarbon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,588 11/1933 Cabot 25256 R 1,953,904 4/ 1934 Bowyer et a1. 25258 X 2,244,705 6/1941 Hutchinson et a1. 25256 R 2,673,838 3/1954 Veatch et a1. 25222 X 1,854,237 4/1932 Teepie 25256 R X OTHER REFERENCES Drummond et aL: Chemical Abstracts, vol. 23 (1929), PP. 5339-5340.

DANIEL E. WYMAN, Primary Examiner W. H. CANNON, Assistant Examiner 3 US. Cl. X.R. 72 42; zsz-ss R 

